Donald McKayle

Despite earning him a Tony nomination for choreography, "Sophisticated Ladies" was not a happy experience for McKayle in 1981 -- he left the production during out-of-town previews amid fallout from discord among the producers and demands from star-on-the-rise Gregory Hines.

Despite earning him a Tony nomination for choreography, "Sophisticated Ladies" was not a happy experience for McKayle in 1981 -- he left the production during out-of-town previews amid fallout from discord among the producers and demands from star-on-the-rise Gregory Hines. (UC Irvine Libraries)

Despite earning him a Tony nomination for choreography, "Sophisticated Ladies" was not a happy experience for McKayle in 1981 -- he left the production during out-of-town previews amid fallout from discord among the producers and demands from star-on-the-rise Gregory Hines.UC Irvine Libraries